The use of the telegraph to communicate cricket results and associated messages from a ground extends back to the 1870s. Some details of the association are summarised as follows:
The first Telegraph Offices to operate at cricket grounds were opened as a service to patrons who wished to communicate with friends away from the ground or to relay reports of the development in a match. They were not relaying continual details about play.
The Hobart Mercury of 7 October 1875 reported as follows:
CRICKET AND THE TELEGRAPH.
"The Times reports as follows: When a year or two ago the telegraph wires were led into Lord's Cricket Ground, many people wondered whether the fashionable enclosure was about to become the scene of a race meeting or an agricultural show. Very few could have imagined for a moment that, on certain days of the year, as many telegrams would be forwarded from Lord's as used to be forwarded from our large cities - Edinburgh, for instance - in a week under the regime of the old telegraph companies.
In 1872, when the wires were first extended to Lord's, the four principal matches of the year produced among them upwards of 800 telegrams, while in the year following the number rose to upwards of 1,100. In 1874, when all of the matches were of exceptional interest, the number rose to 1,300; but this year the increase has been beyond all precedent, as many as 1,700 messages having been disposed of in connection with the three principal matches which have been played during the past fortnight. The Oxford and Cambridge Match, having been prolonged over three days this year, produced a total of 800 messages, as compared with less than 400 last year, while the Eton and Harrow Match, concluded on Saturday last, produced upwards of 700 and, but for the adverse weather of Friday, must have yielded quite 1,000. On Saturday upwards of 500 messages were handed in for transmission at the travelling telegraph office and on both days of the match as many as three columns of news for the press were disposed of in this curious Post Office on wheels.
The Telegraph Department has evidently a very keen eye for business on such occasions, for we observed that messengers were stationed at convenient points within the grounds to collect telegrams from the public and run with them to the telegraph office. The peculiar circumstances of the occasion had been so far considered that dwarf counters had been erected around the office for the use of persons wishing to write telegrams, but not tall enough to reach the ordinary counter. The telegraph, we may add, is in use at Prince's Ground and the Oval on the occasion of any important match being played there; and we understand that it is in contemplation to have a permanent structure at Lord's for the use of the special telegraphic staff before another year".
The telegraph used to report scores.
At least by the end of 1858, the telegraph was seen as being a useful means of communicating cricket scores. On 20 January 1859, the Geelong Advertiser reported "As we stated in yesterday's issue, the particulars of the cricket match between Victoria and New South Wales, will be telegraphed from Sydney and posted at the telegraph office here for general information, but owing to severe thunder storms in Sunday and Monday, there has been no circuit between Melbourne and Sydney during three days, and the line was described as being yesterday in a fearful state in consequence of the untoward weather which had destroyed several posts along the line, and injured the instruments in various offices".
The Sydney Morning Herald of 21 January reported: "There is great excitement here about the Great Inter-Colonial Cricket Match, but no authentic news received. A false notice was stuck up at the Hall of Commerce, thus:
Bryant 18
Wray 10 (not out)
Numbers crowded to the Hall to see it, and expressed their indignation on learning at the Telegraph Office that it was a hoax".
The Argus of 25 January was unfortunately able to report: "The grand cricket match has terminated in the triumph of Victoria, after what must be considered a very gallant and hard-fought battle, with two wickets to spare. When the wickets of the Sydney eleven had all been lowered on the second innings, Victoria had to resume the bat with 102 runs to obtain to tie. Of this number Bryant contributed 32 and Burchett 26 - or 58 between them. The remainder were made up in single figures and when two wickets yet remained erect.... The excitement in Sydney has been extraordinary, nearly all the shops and places of business having been closed. In Melbourne, in sporting circles at all events, scarcely less solicitude has been displayed, and the telegraph office at the Hall of Commerce yesterday was thronged by scores of anxious faces, while nearly everyone was engaged in taking down the final state of the poll. These interesting matches increase in importance year by year. Four have already been played, either colony having won two, so that the honors are divided. The next contest will have to be decided on the Melbourne ground, and as it will be the conqueror of five. Unusual interest will attach to it".
Telegraph and cricket in Australia.
The first Test Match to be described line over the telegraph lines in Adelaide was from the Adelaide Oval in February 1929. The match was played over 7 days (1-8 February with Sunday 3rd February as a rest day).
It was the fourth Test of the Ashes series between Australia and England. England (334 off 183 overs and 383 off 200 overs) beat Australia (369 off 160 overs and 336 off 151 overs) by 12 runs. Hammond (in his maiden ashes series) scored 119 not out and 177 for England (on his way to a total of 905 runs at at average of 113 for the series - beaten only once by Bradman) while (vice-captain) White took 5-130 and 8-126. Larwood's figures were 1-92 and 0-60. For Australia, Jackson scored 164 in the first innings while Grimmett took 5-102 and 1-117 and Oxenham took 4-67 in the second innings. Ryder scored 63 and 87 while Bradman scored 40 and 58.
The arrangements for using the telegraph were described by Mr. E.P. Ramsey (Deputy-Director, Post & Telegraphs) as follows:
"to meet the demand for cricket news at distant centres, special telegraphic arrangements were made at the Adelaide Oval telegraph office during the recent Test match. Direct lines to the newspaper offices in Sydney and Melbourne were established in addition to three lines to each of these cities for general cricket news from the Oval. A direct line was also provided to the Pacific Cable Board's office at Sydney and two direct lines were connected to the Eastern Extension Company's office at Adelaide. A two minute cable service with London and a 1½-minute telegraphic service with Melbourne and Sydney were maintained. Frequently transmission times were less than those stated.
The fall of a wicket or the occurrence of any event of importance was therefore known in London before the excitement at the Oval had subsided. The words contained in the telegrams transmitted from the Adelaide Oval during the match were as follows:
(Adelaide) Chronicle 16 February 1929.
In the words of a great Australian cricketer and commentator - SIMPLY MARVELLOUS.